Concrete foundation for scales.



No. 815,576. PATENTED MAR. ZO, 1906 l G. H. BIRCHARD. CONCRETE FOUNDATION POR SCALES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1905.

wagon-scales.

IINITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

CONCRETE FOUNDATION FOR SCALES.

Specification of Letters' Patent.

I Patented March 20, 1906.

Application filed August 15, 1905. Serial No. 274, 330.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. BIRCHARD,

vnew and useful Improvements in Concrete 'Foundations for Scales and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in platform-scales, and has particular reference to Its objects are to provide a solid concrete foundation for such scales of novel formation and construction and to dispense with the usual outside frame of iron or wood on which the scale members are usually hung and instead suspend the scale-levers directly from the foundation, doing away with all wooden supports, which are liable to warp and decay and soon cause the scales to oper-- ate improperly and necessitate frequent renewals.

The present invention provides a timberless foundation that is practically indestructible and will last indefinitely and is much superior to the wooden foundation and much cheaper than steel or iron frames. It is to be built in the location desired, and because of its peculiar construction it will maintain the scale members in exact position, so that the scale will always Weigh accurately and be practically indestructible.

The foundation, in brief, consists of a panlike structure formed of concrete, with a bottom plate and side walls integral, the bottom plate forming a continuous bond between the walls and affording a large bearing-surface and also preventing the growth of weeds and underbrush beneath the scale and the displacement or undermining of the walls by rodents or accumulations of moisture.

The invention in particular is an improvement on the scale-foundation shown in m Patent No. 796,398, of August 1,1905, which is more especially adapted for track-scales and other very large scales, while the present foundation is more especially adapted for farm and wagon scales of smaller size and capacity.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings thereof, and what isclaimed as new is summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete foundation. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4, Fig. 1.

The foundation is built in situ and in practically one homogeneous piece of concrete, having a base-plate A covering the entire bottom and underlying all parts of the scale. Said base-plate is preferably dished to direct any water entering the foundation to a drainoutlet a, through which the water can escape. The base-plate A underlies the main scaleplatform and has an extension A underlying the computing-lever platform at the side of the scale-platform.

The side and end walls B B of the foundation are molded or built up integrally with the base-plate A and are preferably thicker at bottom than at top, as shown, so as to enable them to withstand all pressures to which they are subjected. The walls B2 around the offset A are similarly constructed, althou h not necessarily quite so massive as the wa ls B B. The walls B B B2 are all substantially the same in hei ht and flush with the scale-platform when t e latter is in position thereon, as indicated in Fig. 2.

In building the foundation pockets b b are formed in the walls B B near the four corners of the platform for the reception of the ends of the usual metal barsO from which the scale-levers are hung. These metal bars C may be of ordinary construction and are fastened to bolts D, which are anchored in the walls B B with their upper ends projecting into the pockets, as shown, the ends of bars C having eyes transfixed by bolts D and retained thereon by nuts d, as shown. In this manner it will be noted bars C are secured at the corners of the foundation, and each bar is supported on two walls at right angles to and mutually reinforcing and bracing each other, so that the strain or weight on the bars is distributed and resisted in the most effective manner Without injury to the walls or any liability of springing them.

The main scale-levers S S are hung in the usual manner from the two bars C O at the side of the foundation opposite the offset A', and their free ends extend into said offset, and are connected to the computing-levers, (not shown,) as usual, The shorter scalelevers s s are respectively connected to the other bars C and to the adjacent lever S, as shown. The scale-platform Pis mounted on the scale-levers in the usual mamier, so that IOO IIO

its top is substantially flush with the upper ner of VJthe foundation and below the top edges of walls B B. The construction of the particular scale mechanism mounted on the foundation is not claimed herein and is therefore only conventionally and partly shown in the drawings.

The end walls B B are preferably provided with wearing-plates E E on their top edges to prevent the walls being injured by wagon-wheels passing thereover. These wearing-plates may be of wood or iron and can beY secured in position byboltse, anchored in the walls B and projecting suf'ciently above the tops thereof to pass through the wear-plates and be engaged by bolts e', which hold the wear-plates thereon. These wear-plates have nothing to do with the scale mechanism and can be removed and replaced without affecting the scale proper at all.

It will be noted from the Jforegoing that the scale is supported or hung directly on the concrete foundation without the use of any wooden or metallicframes whatever, as heretofore necessary, and that the foundation virtually forms one large substantial pan-like structure in which the scale is suspended, with every part of the foundation firmly bonded to the other, so that it is practically indestructible, and the adjustment of the scale mechanism will remain unchanged indenitely, the foundationbeing unaffected by atmospheric changes or weather or Water.

A beam H to support the computing-platform may be placed across the offsetA in line with the adjacent side wall of the weighing-platform chamber, its ends being secured in pockets h in the walls by bolts h, embedded in the walls, as shown. This beam, however, does not form any part of the foundation, nor does it carry any of the scale-levers.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that I have a very simple but efficient scale-foundation which can be readily built in situ without special tools and is more economical and durable than the metal and brick or concrete or stone foundations heretofore made. Y

The foundation can be built to suit any style or make of wagon-scale and is so made that any frame, either iron, steel, or Wood, is unnecessary. Also any wood, steel, or iron under the scale-bearing irons is unnecessary, and the pockets or anchor bolts or rods will be made and located to suit the scale to be used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A timberless foundation for wagonscales composed of a base-plate, side and end Walls surrounding the edges of the base-plate and formed integrally therewith and inclosing the scale mechanism on all sides and beneath, and scale-lever supports anchored and supported by the adjacent walls at each corthereof, substantially as described.

2. A timberless scale-foundation comprising concrete side and end walls inclosing the scale-platform on all sides, said walls having pockets in them at the corners of the foundation, bolts anchored in the walls and projecting into the pockets, and scale-supporting beams supported in said pockets and fastened to said bolts, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A timberless foundation for wagonscales consisting of side and end walls inclosing the scale-platform and formed of concrete, said walls having pockets in their inner faces near the corners, diagonallyarranged bars supported in said pockets, bolts anchored in the walls and securing the bars in the pockets, scale-levers hung from said bars, and a scale-platform mounted on said levers, and substantially iiush with the tops of the walls, substantially as described.

4. A timberless scale-foundation for wagonscales comprising a base-plate'and side and end walls rising from the edges of said baseplate to the level of the upper surface of the scale-platform, and inclosing the scale-platform on all sides and underneath, said side and end walls having` pockets, bolts anchored in the walls and projecting into the pockets,

and scale-supporting beam-irons supported 1n said pockets and fastened to said bolts, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. A timberless foundation for scales consisting of a base-plate and side Walls inclosing and rising from the edges of the base-plate, all formed of concrete, said side walls having pockets in their inner faces near the corners, diagonally-arranged metal bars supported in said pockets, bolts anchored in the walls and securing the bars in the pockets, scale-levers hung from said bars, and a scale-platform mounted on said levers, and substantially flush with the tops of the side walls, substantially as described.

6. The herein-described concrete foundation for wagon-scales comprising a base-plate underlying the entire scale, and having a' lateral extension underlying the computingplatform, side and end walls surrounding the base-plate, said walls having pockets adjacent the corners of the main scale-platform chamber, and diagonally arranged metal bars having their ends secured in said pockets, the base-plate and walls being formed of concrete and molded in situ; with scale-levers hung from said bars, and a scale-platform supported on said levers, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. The herein-described foundation for wagon-scales comprising a base-plate underlying the entire scale, and having a lateral extension underlying the computing-platform, side' and end walls surrounding the base-plate and extension, and supported on ICO` IOS

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and for the pu tWo Witnesses.

In presence rpose described.

GEORGE H. BIRCHARD.

J. M. GUILE, H. F. GUrLE.

per edges of the end Walls, substantially` as In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I alhx my signature in presence of 

